Memories Lost
by fanfictor101
Summary: During the season 2 premier, Castle and Lanie are involved in a little accident. What if the accident did more damage than it appeared to?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The car slammed to a stop, throwing Castle and Lanie against the sides. The doors opened revealing three large men. One pointing a gun at them, while the other two dragged the body away. Lanie watched as the cars raced away.

"You okay Castle?" she asked. Hearing no response, she looked over to find him lying on the seat unconscious. She moved around to get beside him.

"Castle," she said. Still no response. She was starting to worry. The ambulance pulled up next to the car. Just as they were about to load him on, Lanie heard a noise. She looked over at Castle to see him sitting up.

"Castle, you're an idiot," she said. She told the paramedics that she would check him over herself. She grabbed Castle's arm and began to pull him towards one of the police cars that had arrived. She watched Castle as he stared out the window the entire ride back to the station. He was far to quiet for comfort.

As they pulled up to the station she got out of the car. She stood there, waiting for Castle to join her, but he just sat there, like a lost puppy. She opened the door and pulled him out. They walked into the station and settled in front of Esposito's desk. He leaned against it as she checked his head for any physical injuries. Finding nothing but a few bumps and bruises, she turned around to talk to the others.

"Well?" the chief asked.

"He'll live," Lanie responded.

"What, no brain damage?" Ryan asked.

"He has some. It happened way before tonight and was probably self inflicted," she told them. They all looked at Castle, waiting for his response. He sat there looking around the station.

"What," he said. "No witty remark or snappy comeback?". Again, Castle was silent. Lanie walked up to him and turned his head to face her.

"You okay Castle?" she asked. He simply stared into her eyes. She pulled out her flashlight, aimed it at his eyes and turned it on. The moment the light shone into his eyes. He screamed. This caused everyone to turn and see what was happening.

"Ahh, damn it!" he screamed. His hands covering his eyes as he was slightly bent over. "What the hell was that for?" He pressed his hands to his temples. His eyes were closed tight and he was groaning. Lanie looked at the others as the watched Castle with wide eyes. She grabbed Castle's arm and began to pull him away.

"Where are you going?" Ryan asked.

"The hospital."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Castle looked up at the white ceiling for what seemed to be the thousandth time. He had been there for a little over an hour and already he was bored out of his mind. He turned his gaze to the door, when he heard a soft sob. Standing there, talking to his doctor, was a young girl, probably mid-teens. She was being held by an older woman who seemed to be containing her cries, most likely to comfort the younger girl. Beside them were the people he had been with earlier. Strange, he still didn't know their names. Whatever the doctor was telling them must have been bad. They all had tears in their eyes, some unshed, others unable to keep them from falling. He laid his head back down and closed his eyes. He began to hum some random tune that was stuck in his head. He had no clue what it was, but whatever the song was called, it was catchy. He looked over as he heard the door open. In came his doctor, along with the several others he saw in the hallway. He smiled as his doctor walked towards him.

"Hey Todd!" he said. The doctor smiled at him.

"Hey Rick. You remember anything yet?" he asked with hope. Rick shook his head.

"Nope, but I DO know that there are 5 300 holes in the ceiling!"

"How many tiles?" the doctor asked.

"212," Rick answered in a matter of seconds. The doctor smiled at Rick's way of entertainment. He was just about to ask how many holes per tile that would be, but he heard someone clear their throat. He turned around to see Rick's family and friends standing by the door. Remembering that his job came before pleasure, the doctor turned back to face his patient.

"Alright," Rick said. "I know that look. That's your doctor look. So what's wrong with me?"

"You have amnesia," the doctor explained. Rick simply nodded, as Todd told him the basics of what was happening to his brain and how there was no way of knowing when his memory would return. He watched the reaction of the people standing by the door. Wondering who they were and how he knew them. Todd saw him staring and beckoned for them to come forward.

"Rick, there is nothing else we can do for you here," Todd began. "So we're going to send you home. Okay?" Rick nodded.

"Just one question," he said. "Where is my home exactly?" Todd smiled. He knew how well Rick was taking this and how hard this must have been for the people beside him.

"Rick, there's some people I would like you to meet," he said. He pointed to the teen girl with the bright red hair. "This is your daughter, Alexis." Rick's eyes widened.

"I have a daughter?" he asked. He looked down at his hands for a ring, but didn't find any traces of one, so he gave up. He looked back at the girl and smiled. "Nice to meet you Alexis...again." The girl gave a smile and a small laugh. He could tell she was trying to be serious, but he wasn't going to let her. Todd cleared his throat, gaining Rick's attention.

"This is your mother Martha," he explained, while gesturing to the woman who earlier held his daughter. Rick smiled at her and said hello. Todd then introduced the remaining people in the room as Lanie Parish, Javier Esposito, and Kevin Ryan, to each of which, he said hello.

"We're going to let you go home now Rick," Todd told him. He then explained to Rick's family how he was going to have to come back for a check-up. They all agreed to bring him back for his appointment.

"Well," Todd said. "You're free to go."

"Although I appreciate that fact," Rick began, "I would rather not walk home with my back side showing." The others laughed. His daughter dug into her bag and pulled out several articles of clothing. He gladly grabbed the bag and started off towards the bathroom. He came out wearing his blue button-up shirt and black pants. He handed the bag back to Alexis and smiled.

"Shall we go?" he asked. Alexis nodded and moved to hold his arm. They walked down the hallway, arm in arm, followed by the others, each secretly praying that his memory would return sooner than later.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Castle stared at the room. It was large, had some couches and other furniture. It was an ordinary living room. It was **his **ordinary living room, but he couldn't remember it. He felt someone come up beside him. He turned to see his mother. She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Go look around," she said. He nodded and turned back to the room. The one corner was filled with pictures. He slowly walked towards them. The others followed.

He picked up the first one. It was him with his daughter. She couldn't have been more than 9 years old. He had his arms wrapped around her neck as she delivered a huge smile to whoever was behind the camera. They looked happy. He placed the photo back where he got it and looked at the others. There were several more with him and Alexis. They seemed to be taken every other year. There were quite a few of him and his mother, or him, his mother and Alexis. They looked to be a pretty close family. Almost perfect. He gave a slight smile at the thought.

His eyes wandered to another picture. In it, was a beautiful woman. She had red-brown hair and amazingly green eyes. She was giving Castle a small smile as he grinned at her. He moved to pick up the photo. The others watched in silence.

Castle stared at the photo, mesmerized by the woman. He looked back up the photos, searching for another one of her. He found one. This one was of a poker table. Surrounding it was him, his mother, the woman, a man he didn't know and Javier and Kevin. By the look of the table, everyone was out of the round except for him and her. They were staring across the table at each other and she was giving him a flirty smile. He was giving it right back. He tore his eyes away from the figure and turned back to the group. He held up the photo.

"Who is this?" he asked. They looked at one another. Lanie was the one to speak up.

"That is Detective Kate Beckett of the NYPD. You work with her. You two are partners."

"I'm a cop?" he asked. "I thought I was an author."

"You've been shadowing Beckett for about a year now. Your latest character is based off of her," Esposito explained. Rick nodded, not really listening, as he glanced at the photo once more.

"I want to meet her," he said. They all nodded, but stayed silent, each wondering how the meeting would go, considering their last encounter.

Author's Note:

Sorry about such a short chapter. I will be away for a week, so no updates after today, but I need your help. In the next chapter, Castle meets Beckett. How should they react. Leave a review picking either A or B.

A: Castle is still himself. He flirts with Beckett the moment he meets her and so on.

B: Castle is the opposite of himself. He is perfectly respectful of her and her privacy.

Pick what you want to see in the next chapter. I will get it up as soon as possible.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Castle walked into the station, taking in his surroundings. The place looked professional. He wondered how often he was here. He glanced behind him to see the detectives, Lanie, Martha, and Alexis. They all stood together, as if they were discussing something sensitive. He decided that it would be best to leave them to their conversation and continued looking around. He stopped, however, when he caught a glance of red-brown hair. His mouth opened slightly at the beauty of the women across from him. It was even better than the picture. She was engrossed in something on the screen of her computer. He looked behind him. The group was still talking. They seemed nervous. He turned once again to face the woman. Detective Beckett, they called her. He decided to take a chance. He walked towards her and stood in front of her desk. She glance up with an annoyed look on her face.

"Good morning detective Beckett," Castle said. The woman looked up at Castle with pure hatred in her eyes.

"Castle," she replied, her voice as cold as ice. "What the hell are you doing here?" His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

"Do you not want to see me?" he asked.

"Are you seriously asking me that?" she snorted. "Why would I EVER want to see you?" He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. This was nothing like the girl he had thought about in the picture. This girl was full of hate. Hate for him.

"Why are you so mad at me?" he asked.

"Do you really need me to answer that Castle?" she questioned. He nodded in response. She laughed.

"Where should I begin," she started. "I am mad at you, _Castle, _because you crossed the line."

"What line?" he asked.

"My mother's murder!" she screamed. This caused looks from everyone in the room. Including the detectives, Martha, Lanie and Alexis. Their eyes grew wide with the realization that Castle had left them to confront Beckett.

"You mother was murdered?" Castle asked, his voice no more than a whisper.

"Yes Castle!" she said. "You knew that! You also knew that I asked you not to look into it, but of course you disobeyed me! You took her file and brought up my past! You knew that I spent the first 3 years of my career on that case, but that didn't stop you! Then you just HAD to find something and bring it to me? Worst of all, when I told you to leave me alone you didn't! Instead, you just followed me around and brought a reporter here to interview me about your book! So excuse me if I don't want to see you Castle. Now or ever! Please leave and let me do my job!" Castle stood there speechless. His mouth hanging slightly open. He felt someone come up beside him. It was Esposito.

"Hey Castle, why don't we get you out of here," he said. Castle only nodded in response. Esposito put his hand on Castle's shoulder and began to lead him away. Castle suddenly turned to face Beckett once more. She looked up in annoyance. Just as she was about to scream at him to leave, he spoke.

"I'm sorry," he began. "What I did was wrong. I violated your trust, I opened old wounds and I did not respect your wishes. If we're not going to see each other again, you need to know. I'm very, very sorry. It was extremely immature to disrespect your privacy like that. I hope that one day you can forgive me, but until that day, just know that I regret what I did." With that last note, Castle turned and walked back to his family. Beckett gaze followed him as he left and she promptly turned to Esposito.

"What's wrong with Castle?" she asked.

"That's what I was trying to tell you before," he explained. "Castle has amnesia. He doesn't even remember his family, let alone what he did to you."

"Well he did a pretty good job of apologizing. You think he meant it?" she asked.

"I don't know about you, but I was ready to forgive him when he got to the part about violating trust. That man is damn good at saying he's sorry." Beckett nodded as she silently watched Castle stare at the ground. She quietly swore to herself. She was an idiot. He needed to know that. She got up from her desk and passed Esposito. He quickly followed her. She walked up to Castle and gently touched his arm. His gaze shifted from the ground to her eyes.

"Can we talk?" she asked him. He nodded as she led him to the break room. He leaned up against the counter as she stood by the table. He waited.

"I'm sorry I blew up at you Castle," she began.

"Well, I'm sorry I crossed the line," he said. "It was completely immature and irresponsible of me to not respect your privacy. I was an idiot and I don't know what I was thinking."

"Listen to you," she said. "You don't even remember doing it and you're apologizing." He shrugged in response as his gaze returned to the floor.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it like that," Beckett whispered. "What I'm trying to say is that I forgive you for what you did. I can tell that you really are sorry, and it would suck not having you around. I'm also sorry that I put you through all of this when you can't remember it. It must be horrible. I just want you to know that I'm here for you, whatever you need." Castle looked up.

"Whatever I need?" he asked. She nodded. Castle smiled. "You see, there's one thing that I really want that you could help me get."

"What's that?" she asked.

"A date with you," he replied. Her eyes widened in shock and her mouth slightly parted.

"Are you asking me out?" she questioned. He nodded. He pulled a picture out of his pocket and handed it to her. She slowly grabbed the photo and looked at it. It was her and Castle from about 5 months ago. Right after they solved the case of the girl that had been kidnapped. That case brought back so many memories that it wasn't funny, but even with Will insulting Castle every chance he got, Castle stayed with her.

"What's this?" she asked.

"You tell me," he said. She looked back up to see him staring at her. Surprisingly, she liked it.

"All I know is that the moment I got home, I went to look at pictures. The one that stood out to me the most was of you. Why do you think that is?" he asked. She didn't have an answer. She cleared her throat.

"I don't know."

"Me either. Could it be, perhaps, that it is because of the breathtakingly beautiful woman in it? Or is it because in that picture, I look like I'm on top of the world, just because I'm with you? Listen detective, I can't remember a single thing about my life, so right now, all I have to go on are my current feelings. Those feeling are telling me that I should be with the beautiful, intelligent, kind and wonderful person that I am extremely attracted to. That person is you. So I'm just going to come out and say it. Will you go out with me?"

Author's Note:

So you can probably tell that people wanted B. So here's your next question. Should she say yes? If so, where should Castle take her? Look forward to your reviews. Sorry for such a long chapter, but I felt I should make up for the short one last time. Anyway, put up the next chapter when I can, hope you enjoyed it!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Castle paced across the room for what seemed to be the millionth time. In reality, it was probably only about his 5th or 6th. He readjusted his tie as he faced the mirror. It had to be perfect. It all had to be perfect. He only had one chance to show her what a great guy he could be. He had no clue how he could have been just friends with her before the accident. In fact, he couldn't believe what a jerk he had been to her. He had invaded her privacy and lost her respect. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of an idiot he had been before. Although he had longed to remember those he called friends and family, part of him wondered if losing his memory and starting over was for the best. He heard a slight chuckle. He turned to see his daughter watching him. He still wasn't completely used to the fact that he was a father, but he was beginning to accept it more and more every day.

"What?" he asked her.

"I haven't seen you this nervous since Beckett told Gram where the undercover dance was. The one where you bought Beckett the dress." He frowned. Her smile wavered.

"But I guess you don't remember that," she finished.

"Not really. I just can't believe that she said yes," he explained.

"You don't need to justify your actions dad. It's just kinda funny. You're not nervous that often," she said. He smiled. She reached out her arms and he returned the hug. Whether he remembered her or not, she gave great advice. His body tensed as he heard the sound of the doorbell echo through the apartment. He took a deep breath and stepped back.

"How do I look?" he asked.

"Stop worrying," she responded. "You'll do fine." His face broke out into a grin and he left her to answer the door. He took one final deep breath and pulled it open. There stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her red-brown hair, bounced ever-so-slightly off of her strapless red dress. The sight was spectacular. It was then that he realized he was staring. He snapped himself out of it and offered his arm as he closed the door behind him.

"Shall we?" he asked. She took hold of his arm and smiled. He secretly wondered if this was something the old Castle would have done.

"So, Castle," she began. "Where are we going?"

"That, my dear detective, is a surprise."

"Kate," she said.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"You can call me Kate," she finished. He smiled.

"No matter what I call you, I'm still not telling you where we're going." She laughed. The date had barely begun and he had succeeded in making her laugh. He wondered how often he made her laugh before, if at all. They exited the building and made their way towards his car. He opened the passenger door and waited as she settled in before closing it. He then proceeded to walk around to his side of the car. The corners of his mouth curled up and he caught her staring at him starting the car. She quickly averted her eyes when he turned to check behind them as he backed out. He watched as she faced out the window for the rest of the ride. The trip was silent, but a comfortable silence, at least for him. He wondered what she was thinking. Would the old Castle be okay with the silence? He guessed not, but he didn't know for sure. He grinned as he saw her eyes grow wide as they pulled up to the restaurant. It was the most expensive place in town, he had done his research, but she was worth it. Every penny. As she absorbed her shock, he got out, went around and opened her door once again. This time he offered his hand to help her out. He was on his best behaviour. She eyes him suspiciously as he closed the door and locked the car. He guessed that this was unusual for him, but at that moment, he didn't care. He walked beside her until they got to the door. He held it open as she walked through. She smiled, but he thought it looked a little forced. He let ut pass as they were led to a table in the back. He pulled her chair out and let her sit down before pushing it in. Just as he was about to sit, she excused herself to go to the washroom. Before she could protest, he had pulled her chair out once again. He watched as she walked over to the rest room. His thoughts were interrupted by their waiter.

"Bonjour monsieur."

"Good day!" Castle greeted in return.

"I see that the madame is in the rest room, shall I come back to take orders later?" the waiter asked. Castle shook his head. They hadn't decided what to order yet, but why should he wait and make the food come later.

"We will both have the beef mignon with a glass of your finest wine." The waiter nodded.

"One bottle costs $400 sir," he explained.

"That will be fine," Castle answered.

"Alright, I will be back with your food and drinks shortly." Castle nodded as he left the table. He quickly got up as he saw Beckett return out of the corner of his eye. He pulled out her chair once again.

"You know, that's not necessary every time I get up or sit down," she said.

"Maybe not, but it's the polite thing to do," he explained. She quietly nodded as he took a sip of his water. He smiled to himself.

'This is going well,' he thought. The waiter came over with their bottle of wine and began to pour them each a glass.

"Your food will be out in a moment," he explained.

"But I haven't ordered yet," Beckett interrupted.

"I apologize madame, but the monsieur ordered your meal for you."

"Oh, I didn't know that," she began. "I apologize." The waiter nodded as he left the table.

"You ordered for me?" she asked.

"Yes," Castle answered. "The beef mignon, same as me." Castle watched as she slowly picked up her glass to test the wine. He saw her glance at the bottle. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Castle!" she exclaimed. "This stuff costs $500 per bottle!"

"Actually, it's only $400," he said, a slight smile lining his face.

"Whatever it is, it's too expensive," she complained. His smile wavered.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I was just trying to make tonight special."

"It's okay," she said. The waiter came out with their food and they ate their meal in silence. As the waiter dropped off the check, Castle decided to speak up.

"I'm sorry I ordered for you," he apologized. "It seemed to be the right thing to do at the time."

"It's okay," she forgave. "I'm going to go to the washroom."

"Let me get your chair!" he exclaimed as he began to stand up.

"No!" she screamed. People began to turn to see what was happening. "Stop getting my chair, or opening the door or ordering for me! Just stop! I wish none of this had ever happened. I miss the old Castle! The one that would joke around, but know when to be serious, the one who cared about everyone and everything! The total opposite of YOU!" She quickly exited the restaurant, leaving a speechless Castle behind. The waiter came up to the table.

"Did you want to pay in cash or cheque?" he asked. Castle reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple hundred dollar bills.

"Keep the change," he said as he handed him the money. He picked up his coat and went outside. As he walked towards the car, he felt a drop of rain. Moments later it bean to pour.

"Of course," he laughed. "There had to be rain." He looked around to find that Beckett had taken his car. He got out his cell and called a cab. He stood there, frozen waiting for his cab. As the taxi pulled up, he gave him the address and rode home in silence.

Author's Note:

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I'm going to try and have this done by the end of the week. Sunday at the latest. So review and tell me what you think! Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Dad!" Alexis screamed as he entered the apartment. "How did it go? Are you and Kate..." He walked away before she could finish. He guessed that she took the hint and left him as he went into his office. He sat there for hours, staring at his books. Not reading them, just looking at them. He watched Alexis pace back and forth through the corner of his eye. He turned his full attention on her when she finally got up the courage to walk through the door.

"Come on dad," she said, while pulling him up out of his chair.

"Where are we going?" he asked, now standing up completely.

"The precinct," she answered as she dragged him across the room. He froze. He watched Alexis turn to face him.

"Dad, what happened?" she asked, her eyes were filled with concern. He didn't answer.

"You need to go to the precinct," she said. She tugged on his arm. "Esposito and Ryan have been calling and asking about you. They're worried." Castle slowly nodded.

"Okay," he said. He grabbed his coat and left the apartment with his daughter at his side. The cab ride to the precinct was quiet. Castle kept his gaze out the window and avoided his daughter's questions. As the cab rolled to a stop outside the precinct, Castle slowly got out. He stood there, frozen. He had to do it, but he didn't know if he could. He felt his daughter grab his arm and lead him inside. The moment they entered, he was surrounded by high fives, pats on the back and smiles. It seemed as if people were glad to see him there once again. He and Alexis passed through the crowd and steered themselves towards Detective Beckett's desk. He no longer felt it appropriate to call her Kate, and calling her Beckett was rude. As they neared the group that surrounded Beckett's desk, they caught bits of the conversation.

"Not going to work..."

"Can't send a cop in there..."

"Too dangerous..."

"Think about it Chief..."

"It has to be a civilian..."

"I'll do it." Everyone turned. No one had even noticed Castle's approach.

"Castle, not now," Beckett said coldly.

"Man, do you even know what we're talking about?" Esposito asked. Castle shook his head.

"All I know is that you need a civilian to go somewhere a cop can't and do something dangerous, but I'm still willing to help," he explained. The chief nodded.

"He's worked with us before, but he's not an actual member of the precinct. Right now, he's our best bet." Esposito and Ryan seemed to accept this answer and began to brief Castle on the 'mission'. Esposito handed Castle the files and he began to leaf through them. As he quickly glanced over the pictures, he felt a sense of deja vu.

"Have I seen these before?" he asked. Esposito's eyes grew wide.

"Yeah!" he exclaimed. "You were with us at the crime scene. It was right before your accident. You remember it?" Now everyone was looking at him, waiting to see his response. He slowly shook his head.

"Not really," he said. He noted the disappointment on all of their faces. Even detective Beckett.

"So it doesn't ring any bells?" Ryan asked. Castle shook his head as he looked over the file once more.

"So when am I going in?" he asked.

"It's going down tonight," Ryan answered. Alexis stood beside her father as they planned to take down the Russian mobster. Castle saw her quietly slip away and pull detective Beckett with her. He silently wondered what they were talking about, but dismissed those thoughts to go over his plans once more.

Author's Note:

Sorry about such a short chapter. Only a few more to go. Tell me what you think so far! Hope you like it! Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Castle stood still as they placed the wire on his chest. Everyone was watching him, studying him. His put his shirt back on and cleared his throat.

"So I'm going to go in and try to get you guys a good enough view to figure out who it is?" he asked.

"Just try not to get yourself killed," answered Beckett. "We'd hate to have to fill out the paperwork." The others nodded in agreement. Castle felt partially hurt by the joke, but understood the intentions, especially after their date.

"Alright Castle, remember, we can hear you, but you can't hear us," Esposito explained. Castle nodded.

"Then get in there," Ryan finished. Castle left the van and went into the building. He quickly cajoled his way into the game room and continues on his 'mission'. The moment he entered, he knew that this was going to be harder than he thought. Everywhere he looked, there was a tattooed Russian. He was going to have to try something else. He walked to the centre table and sat down.

"Mind if I join you?" Castle asked.

"This is a high stakes table," a man with a thick Russian accent answered.

"Are you sure you can afford it?" the man asked. Castle smiled.

"You see, I'm an author doing research for a book I'm writing," Castle explained as he pulled out a wad of cash. He handed it to the woman in exchange for chips.

"Change for $1000," he said. He was handed the chips and dealt the cards.

"So you're a writer?" one of them asked.

"Anything we know?" asked another.

" I'm not sure," Castle answered. "How familiar are you with Derrick Storm and Nikki Heat?"

"You wrote Derrick Storm?" the first man asked. Castle nodded.

"I loved him. Why you kill him?"

"I was getting tired of him, but it's okay, because now I'm working on this story about underground poker," Castle told them. No one moved. Castle decided it was time to play hard ball.

"You see, it's about a Russian mobster who has a taste for cards. Plays off of desperation. Luring people in to take more than they had. The thing is, he's also a lone shark. He fronts his victim and makes bank. This one guy, this family guy, gets in too deep. He can't pay the loan back. So the mobster got no choice, has to kill him. Send a message to anyone else who owes him. So one night, lures him into an abandoned building, strangles him to death and throws him off the roof." As he spoke, he kept his glance moving around the table, looking for the slightest clue as to who it was. He got nothing, he hoped that the detectives would find something he missed.

"I can't wait to read!" exclaimed one man. Castle smiled.

"Well, this has been great, but I have to go." Castle laid down his hand, showing a straight, and collected his winnings.

"Could you change that into something a little smaller?" he asked the dealer. The woman handed him the money. He placed the money in his pocket and got up from the table.

"Well, thanks for the help with the research, guys," Castle said. He left the table and headed towards the kitchen, but failed to notice that he was being followed. He took his phone out to call the detectives when he heard the door close. He turned to find a .22 caliber pointing right at his face.

"Whoa! Hey, if you want your money back, you can have it!" Castle exclaimed.

"Who do you work for?" the man asked. He had been siting right across from Castle. He was a larger man, with a short hair cut. The sweat that glistened from his forehead showed his nervousness.

"Excuse me?" Castle asked.

"The story. Where did you hear that?" the man questioned.

"I, I don't," Castle stammered. The man was about to say something when they heard a voice.

"Ricky, are you bothering this handsome man?" it asked. The voice was covered by a thick accent, but it was noticeable. Castle turned to see the origin of the voice and came face to face with detective Beckett.

"Kate?" he exclaimed.

"Get back!" the man screamed.

"Boys and their guns, am I supposed to be impressed?" she asked.

"This is none of your business!" he shouted.

"Actually, it is," she said. As she moved forward to retrieve the gun, it was turned on her. Castle saw the man's finger move on the trigger. Castle dove, pushing Beckett out of the way, as he heard a blast come from the gun. He felt his breath forced out of his lungs as something hard slammed into his chest. He didn't need to look down to know that he had been shot. He groaned as he hit the floor. He closed his eyes in an attempt to take the pain away. He listened to the action that surrounded him. It sounded like there was struggle going on. Possibly between Kate and the man for the gun. The door was thrown open and he heard a gun shot. He opened his eyes and the world started spinning. He saw Esposito and Ryan over near Kate. The Russian man was being taken away in handcuffs. The detectives were standing together, they seemed to be discussing something. Castle attempted to call for their help. He could feel himself becoming light-headed. He opened his mouth, bit nothing came out. He took in a staggered breath and prepared himself for death as the world around him became dark.

Author's Note:

I hope you guys like my story. What do you think of Castle taking the bullet? Good, bad, or just weird? Anyways, one or two more chapters before I'm done. Tell me, do you think I should write sort of a sequel to this one? The same story, but Beckett's POV. How would you feel about that. Give me ideas and feelings. Tell me what you want. Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Castle opened his eyes and immediately shut them again. Why did the lights in this place have to be so bright? He attempted to open them once more, this time taking it slowly and allowing his eyes to adjust to light of the room. He looked around the room and found that he was in a hospital. He put his arms against the bed and began to push himself up, only to fall back down with a burning pain in his chest. He lifted up the blanket to find his chest partially covered in gauze. His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. He turned his head as he heard the door open.

"Well, well, well," the doctor began. "Look who's finally awake! If you're in here any more we might have to get you your own room." The doctor chuckled to himself as he checked Castle's bandage and wrote some stuff down.

"I have some people outside who want to see you. Is it okay to let them in?" he asked. Castle silently nodded. He watched the doctor leave the room. He sat patiently awaiting the arrival of his guests. A short moment later, the door was thrown open to reveal an angry Beckett. She stood, feet planted at the entrance. Castle smiled.

"Good morning dete..."

"How STUPID are you?" she screamed. "That was the most idiotic thing I've ever seen!" Castle sat quietly, absorbing every word. He watched as she made her way across the room to the foot of his bed.

"If you ever, EVER, take a bullet for me again, I will..."

"I took a bullet for you?" Castle asked. Castle watched the expression on Beckett's face go from 'going to kill you' to 'what are you talking about'. He heard a faint gasp and turned to face the door again. There stood a small group of his friends and family. He watched as his daughter slowly stepped forward.

"You don't remember taking the bullet?" she asked. Castle shook his head. The others followed Alexis's lead and took their places around his bed.

"Do you remember us?" his mother asked him. He could see the worry in her eyes as she asked him the question. Castle nodded.

"Ya, I remember you. How could I forget you guys?" he asked. She gave him a faint smile before it faded back into worry.

"But you don't remember taking the bullet?" she asked.

"No," Castle stated. "I don't remember taking any bullet. What happened?"

"What _do _you remember?" Ryan asked. Castle closed his eyes to focus on the question. He remembered yelling, and a reporter. What else was there? Why was the person yelling at him? His eyes snapped open at the answer. They raised to Beckett. He watched as she bit her lip. He could tell that she was nervous.

"I'm so sorry," he said. She stopped biting her lip.

"What for?" she asked.

"Your mother's case," Castle answered. He watched as her eyebrows raised in surprise. "It was stupid and immature of me to look into it after I promised not to. I should have respected your privacy." As Castle finished his apology, he noted the shocked looks that surrounded him.

"But," Castle continued. They turned their attention on him. "The offer for the pony is still on the table." He looked around him. They all stood, still shocked by his apology, frozen and silent. He sat there awkwardly until he heard a noise. It was a laugh. It was brief, but still a laugh. He turned to the source of the sound and found himself facing his daughter. She let out another laugh, and another. Castle smiled at his daughter's heavenly laugh, which was soon joined by the others. He was no longer surrounded by shocked and worried faces, but by smiles.

"What's so funny?" Castle asked. He turned to Beckett for an answer, but instead, received the feeling of her lips pressed against his. Though it did not last long, he savoured every moment of it. The feeling was everything he had hoped for and more. As she pulled away, he was left with the slight taste of coffee that had once been on her lips, but now rested on his.

"What was that for?" he asked as he cleared his throat. She smiled. He noticed that there was no longer any laughing. He saw from the corners of eyes that all focus was now on him and Beckett.

"For what you said," Beckett answered. Castle smiled.

"If I'd known that, I would've offered you a pony a long time ago!" he exclaimed. The others laughed in response. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see his daughter smiling down at him.

"I'm glad you're back dad," she said. She bent down and gave him a hug, which he gratefully returned. As they separated, he felt his smile slightly fade.

"What happened to me?" he asked. Everyone grew silent, their smiles now gone.

"You really don't remember?" Esposito asked. Castle shook his head. He sat back and prepared to find out what had happened. He watched Esposito take a deep breath before starting.

"It happened about two weeks ago..."

"Two weeks ago? What day is it?" Castle interrupted. Castle could see the annoyance on Esposito's face.

"October 3rd. Now stop interrupting me," Esposito answered. Castle nodded and mouthed 'sorry'.

"Alright, a few weeks ago we found a body..."

"In a tree, I know," Castle interrupted. "I know everything up until when I got in the car with Lanie." Esposito nodded.

"Someone stole the body," Castle opened his mouth to respond, but the glare from Esposito stopped him. "When they stole the body, the van was stopped unexpectedly, you were thrown to the side."

"You hit your head," Lanie interrupted. "You were unconscious. We were going to take you to the hospital, but you woke up. I looked at you myself, but..."

"This is really long and boring, can I get a brief summary?" Castle asked.

"Richard, you've had amnesia the past two weeks. You didn't remember any of us or anything about your life. You went on an undercover mission for the police and ended up taking a bullet for detective Beckett," his mother explained. Castle listened intently as she told him the story.

"So I actually took a bullet for you?" he asked Beckett. She nodded.

"Why, you regret it?" she questioned. Castle laughed.

"You kidding me?" he asked. "I'd take a thousand bullets for you, of course I'd probably be dead after the first dozen, maybe even after the first five, but the meaning is still there." She smiled.

"I'd take bullets for any of you," he said, facing the others. "Of course I would hope that I would be rewarded with different objects instead of kisses." He turned to Ryan and Esposito. "Especially from you two." They laughed.

"What's the problem, Castle? Don't want a little romantic action from us?" Ryan asked.

"Ya know what?" Esposito asked. "That hurts." He pointed to his heart. "Right here." Castle laughed.

"So why are you all acting like this?" Castle asked. "Was I really that bad when I couldn't remember?"

"Let us put it this way. The amnesiac Castle was polite, respectful, smart, kind and a perfect gentlemen," Beckett explained. Everyone nodded.

"But he was also annoying as hell and made us want the real you back," Lanie finished. Castle smiled and beckoned her for a hug. As they broke apart, Castle made one final statement.

"Took ya long enough."

THE END

Author's Note:

I know that it's a really sucky ending, but I am terrible at wrapping up stories. I hope you liked it and I apologize for making you wait 2 weeks for the final chapter. Loved all your reviews. Tell me if you want this from Beckett's POV or not, because if you do I'll add it to my list of stories to write. I've got ideas for a Bones one and another Psych one. Thanks for reading!


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